The first thing that strikes you about Canada is the size of the place. Our drive from Halifax airport to Shediac in New Brunswick was fascinating just for the sheer scale of the landscapes - great vast swathes of open land, heavy skies and endless horizon.

We took long straight roads dotted with 'Warning - Moose!' signs every few hundred yards - passing thousands of acres of forest and marshland, peppered with occasional petrol stations, rest stops, and the obligatory Tim Hortons coffee shops.

New Brunswick is a province of Canada on the east coast. Really just next door to Maine in the USA.

We spent a week exploring the coastline alongside the Bay of Fundy. Starting from the small town of Shediac in the east of the province down to Saint Andrews-by-the-Sea.

Fundy Bay is known for having the highest tidal range in the world.

Twice a day tonnes of water comes in and out. Nowhere is this massive natural phenomenon more striking than the wonder which is the Hopewell Rocks.

They're also known as the 'flowerpot rocks' and it's easy to see why. They're giant pot-shaped rocks standing 40-70 feet tall. Centuries of tidal erosion has created the rock formations, and when the tide is out you can wander among them.

It's quite a sensation to be exploring the ocean floor knowing that in just a few hours' time the same terrain will be at the bottom of the ocean.

And it's clear that the sea isn't exclusively for tourists.

The communities of New Brunswick are dependent on the sea for industry. We explored small towns such as Shediac, where our journey started.

Shediac harbourside, New Brunswick, Canada

It boasts a wonderful harbourside - a proper working one, not a tourist trap - where lobster pots were stacked on top of each other and as the sun set we gorged on seafood platters at Captain Dan's grill.

Food is a big deal in New Brunswick.

We were fortunate enough to visit during lobster season. It means we got to taste the freshest lobster possible. Seafood is the speciality all year round, of course. And there is a strong emphasis on locally caught sustainable fishing.

And there is also the famous 'dulse' - aka dried seasoned seaweed - which is sprinkled on salads and in soups. It's much tastier than it sounds.

From Shediac we followed the coast to the small community of Alma. It sits on the edge of Fundy National Park. The park is huge - it covers 80 square miles with 25 hiking trails, with forests, bogs, waterfalls, rivers and campsites.

Waterfall at Fundy Park in New Brunswick, Canada

Hugging the coastline, it's a fantastic place for outdoor exploring and activities, with some stunning views. After a day's rambling our bed for the night was at the charming Falcon Ridge Inn, a small but perfectly formed bed and breakfast at the highest point of Alma, perched on a hilltop overlooking the small town and the vast panorama of the bay beyond.

The view from Fundy National Park, Alma

If you want something a bit livelier, head to Saint John. This is the largest community in New Brunswick and Canada's oldest city. After a few days in small towns and villages along the coast it was a nice change to find ourselves in a larger, noisier part of the country.

Bigger doesn't mean badder - the locals were all still extremely friendly and down to earth, and love their food.

The highlight was a meal at Saint John Ale House which is famous for its locally sourced and prepared food, including the famous lobster sandwich.

The famous lobster sandwich at the Saint John Ale House

Head chef Jesse Vergen is something of a local celebrity, having appeared on 'Top Chef Canada' on television - their equivalent of the UK's Masterchef.

The restaurant is located next to the harbour and is part of a hipster-like renaissance of this historic industrial town. The next day we spent a lazy morning wandering among cafes, books and clothes shops, and also ensured we took in a visit to the city market, a must-do for visitors to Saint John.

This is the oldest continuously operated farmer's market in Canada, with a charter dating from 1785. Still inside its original building - which has a stunning ceiling which resembles the keel of an upturned wooden ship - the market houses fresh, locally caught seafood and fish, alongside other produce including lots of sweet treats made from the Canada's famous maple leaf syrup.

The next stage of our week's tour took us back out of the city bustle. From nearby Blacks Harbour we caught a ferry to the island of Grand Manan.

It is the largest of the Fundy Islands in the Bay of Fundy, but only about 2,300 people live on it. It is, naturally, a generally sleepy place, with plenty of isolation for those who want to get away. It does boast historic lighthouses and is known as a good spot for whale-watching, bird-watching, hiking, cycling. Painters and keen photographers will also feel right at home.

Swallowtail lighthouse on Grand Manan Island

There is a well-known whale and seabird research station on the island, which was founded by former Bristol University graduate David Gaskin in 1981, and it's worth visiting the historic wooden Swallowtail lighthouse, dating from 1860.

We enjoyed a peaceful stay at the Compass Rose Inn on Grand Manan Island, and the next day set off by ferry back to Blacks Harbour, before a short drive to Saint Andrews.

Founded in 1783 by Empire loyalists and named in honour of St Andrews in Scotland, the town is still very well preserved, with many original buildings in place (some of which were floated to the town on barges from Castine, Maine at the end of the Revolutionary War).

Algonquin resort in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada

We stayed for three nights at the stunning Algonquin resort. Originally built in 1889, it was destroyed in a fire in 1914 and quickly rebuilt. It retains an old fashioned charm and has not been ruined by too many extensions or over-development. The resort was most recently refurbished in 2014 and has 233 rooms. It also has a golf course, pools, gym and ballrooms.

The Algonquin has its own restaurant, Braxton's, which is very good. We also ventured out to the exquisite Rossmount Inn for a delicious meal. A short drive from the centre of Saint Andrews, the Rossmount Inn is a three-storey manor house, part of an 87 acre estate set between the forest and the sea.

The restaurant has gained a strong local recommendation. We were not disappointed - both of us enjoyed freshly caught seafood in a dining room full of character.

The town of Saint Andrews attracts plenty of Canadian holidaymakers. That is apparent from the huge number of restaurants and cafes along the seafront. There is lots of choice, from fine dining to takeaway fish and chips.

For families there is a play park next to the campsite, and lots of excursions, especially whale watching tours.

We went out twice, on a zippy 'zodiac' boat with Fundy Tide Runners and a more genteel trip with Island Quest. There were several Minke whales, seals, porpoises, Bald Eagles and more.

Then it was back on dry land for more food, rest and relaxation. Saint Andrews was the perfect end to the week's road trip. A few days of wandering among its seafront small shops, the occasional seafaring day trip here and there, and lots of hotel luxury.